Supanet uses cookies to ensure that we give you the
best experience on our site. If you continue without changing your browser settings, we'll assume that you are agreeing to our use of
cookies. Find out more by reading our cookies policy.

Know your rights

Your own place of work may be more flexible than the law actually
requires, so don't miss out on the chance to tailor your rights to your
needs if you can.

"Info:You
can't be made redundant, dismissed, or given unfair treatment because
of your pregnancy. You can make a claim via an employment tribunal for
compensation if you think this has happened."

Sources of information include:

your employer

your employer's human resources specialist

your trades union or professional organisation

your local office of the benefits agency (for Maternity Benefit and Child Benefit)

the Maternity Alliance

government web-based information

Inland Revenue

Pregnant women and new parents may be entitled to receive maternity
grants, maternity pay (or Maternity Allowance for women not entitled to
maternity pay because they have not been with the same employer long
enough, are self-employed, or on a low wage), Maternity Leave, Parental
Leave, or Child Benefit. See our feature What you are entitled to for
more details.

"Info: If
you feel your employer is not behaving responsibly with regard to your
maternity leave, your local Citizens Advice Bureau can offer support
and legal advice. Visit their website to find your nearest bureau."

Basic entitlements are available to all, no matter how long you have
been with the same employer and no matter what your hours are.
Employees are entitled to paid time off for antenatal care throughout
pregnancy, and that includes classes. Pregnant women can claim free
prescriptions and free dental care during pregnancy and for a year
afterwards. You are also entitled to Child Benefit when your baby is
born. Your midwife or doctor should be able to give you the form to
apply for these benefits. See our feature What you are entitled to for
more information.

You can claim further rights, such as Additional Maternity Leave, if
you have worked for the same employer for at least a year and 11 weeks
by the week your baby is due. This allows you up to 11 weeks off work
before your baby is due, and 29 weeks after the week your baby is born.
You have the option of working all or some of the 11 pre-birth weeks if
you want to.

"Info: ...basic entitlements are available to all..."

Parental leave " unpaid, so far " is available to all parents,
mothers and fathers, who have been with the same employer for a year.
For each child, each parent can get a total of 13 weeks off up until
the child's fifth birthday. You and your employer should come to an
agreement about the length of time you are away on any one occasion. If
you have a child with a disability, you can apply for further time off.
See our feature What you are entitled to.

It's your choice how you use this leave " you could add some to your maternity leave, if you want.

"Info: If
your baby is due on or after 6 April 2003 you can take additional
maternity leave of 26 weeks if, 15 weeks before your baby is due, you
have worked for the same employer for 26 weeks or more. This means that
you can take a year's maternity leave in total."

Pregnancy, memory and concentration

Are pregnant women less effective because of the way pregnancy
affects concentration and memory? No, according to a research team from
the Australian National University in Canberra. They discovered no
difference between pregnant and non-pregnant women in a range of mental
tests. Reaction time, recall and recognition were tested, as well as
the skills needed to cope with doing more than one thing at a time. On
the contrary, there was evidence that pregnancy improves your brain
power.

Safety at work

During pregnancy, early motherhood and breastfeeding, your work must
not put your health or your baby's health at risk. Your employer should
carry out an assessment of the risks and adjust your hours or
conditions if needed. You should be offered a suitable alternative job
if it can't be made safe, or else be suspended on full pay.

Returning to work might mean adjusting your hours. You can ask your
employer if this is possible, and if it's not, there have to be good
reasons for your employer to say no.

Next »« Prev

Disclaimer: Supanet is not responsible for, and disclaims any and all liability for the content of comments written by contributors to this website